How was the architecture of the Byzantine Empire and Roman Empire similar

Constantinople used Roman-style  architecture suchas arches & domes

Byzantine cities had forums for trade & arenas to entertain citizens

• The official language was Latin, but most Byzantines spoke Greek 

• Because of its location close to Judea, most Byzantines had converted to Christianity before those in the Western Roman Empire

• Both the Roman & Byzantine Empires were ruled by emperors who had absolute power over the empire 

• Justinian was the most famous Byzantine Emperor

   

• About 50 years after the fall of Rome, Byzantine Emperor Justinian came to power & began reconquering Roman territories

To oversee his new empire, Justinian ordered legal experts to consolidate  old Roman laws into a single law code

• The Justinian Code served as the legal basis for criminal justice, marriage, property, slavery, & women’s rights

• The law code became one of the most important legacies of the Byzantine Empire & served as the basis for laws for the next 900 years

In addition to expanding the empire & creating a uniform set of laws, Emperor Justinian also began large building projects

• He ordered the construction of the Hagia Sophia to show the importance of the church

• He built hospitals, aqueducts, public baths, schools, & courts

Justinian’s wife Theodora had a lot of power & influence in the Byzantine Empire:

• She met with & wrote to foreign leaders 

• She advised Justinian & helped him pass laws

She encouraged building of Christian cathedrals

What was one of Theodora's significant contributions to the Byzantine Empire?

• A) Leading military conquests

• B) Reforming laws to expand women's rights

• C) Writing historical texts

• D) Designing architectural wonders